Before the construction of the Volta Grande IV residential neighborhood in Volta Redonda, RJ, steel industry-derived material was deposited in a portion of the area. Previous studies detected hydrocarbons in the soil, especially PAHs. CSN conducted a geoforensic study to investigate the origin of the hydrocarbons. In the soil, TPH, TPH fingerprint (modified EPA 8015D method), PAHs, and biomarkers (modified EPA 8270D method) were analyzed; in the soil vapor, VOCs (TO-15 method) and PIANO – paraffins, isoparaffins, aromatics, naphthenes, and olefins (modified TO-15 method) were analyzed. The soil in the eastern part of the neighborhood showed chemical signatures similar to coal tar; those from other locations were similar to degraded asphalt and urban soot. Steel industry waste was delineated to approximately 10% of the neighborhood, at depths of 1 to 3m.
Full article: www.newfields.com.brJosé Carlos Rocha Gouvêa Júnior (General Manager of Environment – CSN) ; Fernando Simão e Silva (Project Engineer – NewFields Brasil) ; Tiago Rodrigues Moura (Director – NewFields Brasil) ; William Stuart Odle (Manager – NewFields USA)
